Many municipal and county governments are simply staggering under the weight of employee costs, including wages, benefits and pension obligations.

So workers instead lay low and take their lumps in an erosion of wages, benefits and union prerogatives.

Overall for the workers, the package represents a 13 percent increase in the value of wages, benefits and work rules, M.T.A. officials say.

They said they feared that American would try to extract big concessions on wages, benefits and work rules in exchange.

The four-year agreement, which must be ratified by the union members, provides for improvements in wages, benefits and work rules, the airline said.

In the spring of 1986, the orchestra briefly picketed the music hall over wages, benefits and job guarantees.

An additional source of costs savings resides in the wages, benefits and work rules required by current labor agreements.

The showdown over the provision comes after more than two months of failed negotiations and disputes over wages, benefits and work rules.

Eastern wants sizable concessions in wages, benefits and work rules, contending that the cuts are necessary if the airline is to become profitable.

There is disagreement on a range of issues, including wages, benefits and work rules, said Gregg Overman, a union spokesman.